Destined
by tchele
Summary: Postchosen Buffy, Faith, and the Scooby Gang head to LA. This fic has taken on a life of its own, and after almost 2 years of it sitting I am working on it again. The story has changed directions slightly.
1. Destined Part 1

Title: Destined Author: ~tchele~ Spoilers: Up through "Chosen" (AKA all of BtVS) and "Home"(Season 4 Finale Angel) and one spoiler for Season 5. Disclaimer: The characters in this story are not mine, their histories are not mine, unless I diverge from the characters history or add some detail never expressed in the previous storylines of the show. In time I may add my own creations, depending on how the fic plays out. All previously created characters belong to their respective owners some of those being 20th Century Fox, Mutant Enemy, Joss, and all other associated parties. This fic was written because of a sudden inspiration after accidentally reading a spoiler and trying to figure out how it could work with the finale of BtVS. If you aren't interested in reading Spoilers skip this fic until after Angel season 5 is underway. Archiving: Ask by sending me the link and I will look at your site.  
  
They say ghosts only exist when they have unfinished business from their life. In William's life there was unfinished business of apocalyptic proportions. He remembered the intense light from the amulet he wore in the final battle. The final battle that took place that fateful morning in the basement of Sunnydale High School.  
  
As she surveyed the canyon that had only hours before been the town of Sunnydale, Buffy sighed. As she reflected on the loss of the day a tear fell down her cheek.  
  
"Are you O.K.?" her best friend Xander asks.  
  
"No, but there is nothing I can do about it so why dwell on it, right?" Buffy replies.  
  
"I guess that's true. It still hurts though." Xander responds morosely.  
  
Buffy gasps, "Xand, I'm sorry, here I am thinking only of myself. I forgot you lost someone too."  
  
"I can't believe she's gone. I mean there were times in the last year I wished her dead, but now I miss her. I mean the way she took care of me after the accident, it almost made me think she still loved me." Xander answers her.  
  
"She still loved you, I know it. Why else did she stay around when everyone else in town took off? You humanized her, you gave her a conscious." Buffy tells him.  
  
"Maybe." Is the only answer Xander gives before turning and heading back to the school bus that was now their home. Buffy follows him and climbs in.  
  
"Where to B?" asks a former potential named Vi.  
  
"O.K. no more hanging out with Faith for you." Buffy answers with a smile.  
  
"B, I was thinking that maybe we could head for L.A., Angel and Wesley have more then enough room, and we could really use a place to sleep, for a night if nothing else. I mean you guys have been going pretty much non-stop for weeks." The brunette slayer, Faith, says.  
  
"Buffy, I agree with Faith on this. Angel does have resources we don't have. Actually we have nothing and if we leave now we can make it to the Hyperion before dark." Buffy's other best friend, Willow replies.  
  
"Well, there is nothing left here for us, and I guess we should figure out a game plan. So I guess we should put it to a vote, all those in favor of going to Angel's." everyone except Buffy raises their hand. "I guess we head for L.A."  
  
Nightfall, the gang stands outside the Hyperion Hotel.  
  
"Hello, anyone here? Wes, Gunn, Fred?" Faith calls out.  
  
"Faith is that you?" A voice with a British accent answers.  
  
"Yeah and I brought a bunch of homeless people with me." Faith answers.  
  
"Mr. Giles how nice to see you again. I understand you and I are among the only remaining members of the Watcher's Council." Wesley says.  
  
"Yes, that is my understanding as well. Something I hope to rectify in the near future. We are hoping to establish a new council soon." Giles responds.  
  
"Is that why you're here, official council business?" Wesley asks defensively.  
  
"No, we are here because Sunnydale no longer exists and this was the only place we could think of that could handle all of us." Buffy says from the doorway.  
  
"Buffy, how nice to see you. How are you?" Wesley responds.  
  
"I've been better, but that's not important right now. Is Angel here?" Buffy answers.  
  
"Not at the moment, but Fred can help you, she's right there in the office. Or she can get him on his cell phone." Wesley replies.  
  
"O.K. Giles can you fill Wes in on everything and get all the poten- everyone in and settled?" Buffy asks as she leaves the room in search of Fred, whom she had never met.  
  
"Why don't I help you get everyone in rooms and then we can talk and you can fill me in on everything." Wesley asks before things get strained again.  
  
"Um hi, Wes told me you could help me get in contact with Angel." Buffy says as she walks into the office.  
  
"Oh wow, you're her, you're Buffy. Um yeah I can get Angel, he'll be so happy to find out you're here." Fred babbles.  
  
"Could you leave out that I am here, can you just ask him to come here?" Buffy asks.  
  
"Yeah, I guess though I can't imagine why you wouldn't want him to know." Fred says, while dialing Angel's cell phone. Soon Angel's voice is heard on the speaker.  
  
"Hey Fred, this isn't a great time, I'll see you back at the hotel later." The conversation was punctuated with the sounds of groans and blades slicing something, a sound Buffy was all too familiar with.  
  
"Weird, Angel and a cell phone are two things that don't really go together." Buffy thought aloud.  
  
"He used to balk at using it, but right now with everything going on with Cordy he wants to make sure he's reachable." Fred replies.  
  
"What about Cordy?" Buffy queries.  
  
"Oh that's right you haven't heard, I should let Angel or Wesley tell you, but she's in a coma. Sorry I had to be the one to tell you." Fred says quietly.  
  
"This day just gets better and better, how many more people are we going to lose." Buffy replies, her voice quivering. "Is there somewhere I can go to get cleaned up?"  
  
"Sure, right through here, and if you want you can wait in the room next door for Angel, those are his rooms." Fred says after leading Buffy to a room.  
  
Wesley helps Giles get the group from Sunnydale settled in rooms and goes to the office to make a list of supplies to get them through the night. The girls were already begging Giles to get Andrew out of their sight and sending him on a supply run seemed like the best course of action. As he is finishing the list, Fred enters the room. "Ah good Fred, just the person I wanted to see. Could you do me a favor and go get these supplies? Some of our guests are injured and we are going to need more supplies to patch them up then we have. Also take Andrew with you, I believe he is probably still bothering Gunn in the lobby. Whatever you do, don't mention Godzilla, for some reason it sets him off."  
  
"Sure, Wes, I told Buffy she could wait in Angel's suite. He doesn't know she's here, or that anyone's here. I just asked him to hurry back." Fred answers.  
  
"Hey Wes, hear some stuff happened while I was gone, care to share?" Faith asks as she wanders into the office after getting the girls settled, and Robin squared away.  
  
"Quite a bit happened after you left yes, the biggest thing is that Cordelia is in a coma. They really don't expect her to wake up, but Angel is of course in denial over it. He holds himself responsible for anything that happens to anyone he considers his family. Which does also include you and the Scoobies. So Giles tells me you were a big asset in the battle against the First." Wesley replies.  
  
"Yeah well, prison taught me a few things, mainly that being evil is not the way to win friends and influence people. Well that was partly Angel's doing, he really helped me turn from the path I was heading down. That's why when you came to me and told me Angelus was back I had to help him." Faith answers.  
  
"What I found fascinating was when I told you about Angelus you already knew how to escape, yet you hadn't up to that point. Why hadn't you?" Wesley asks.  
  
"When I turned myself in, I promised myself I would pay for my crimes. Not only that but something Angel said to me stuck. He told me that if I ran away from my crimes I'd be running for the rest of my life. I decided I didn't want that and accepted my punishment. I suppose I should surrender myself to the police and serve out the rest of my time, which will probably be doubled because I broke out." Faith says.  
  
"I don't know about that, the other thing that has happened since you left is that Angel Investigations runs Wolfram and Hart. Perhaps we can do something for you to keep you from going back to prison." Wesley replies.  
  
"Really? You'd do that for me? After everything I did to you?" Faith asks incredulously.  
  
"After what you did for Angel and your work closing the hellmouth I think you have begun your redemption. Besides with all the new slayers there is going to be a need for someone to be a role model for them. I will call the legal department and have them get someone on this matter right away." Wesley tells her.  
  
"I gotta go tell Robin he will go crazy when I tell him." Faith says as she exits the office.  
  
"Wesley I'm back, have you seen Fred? She called me a while again and asked me to hurry back here, but wouldn't tell me why. Now that I'm here I can't seem to find her." Angel asks as he enters the office a few moments later.  
  
"Fred is out picking up supplies for our guests, there is a group from Sunnydale staying here temporarily until they decide what to do. Fred didn't need to see you, there is someone waiting in your room for you, that's why she called you." Wesley answers. Angel quickly exits the office and goes to his suite and finds Buffy sitting very calmly on the bed, too calmly. "Buffy, what's wrong? You seem upset." Angel asks while enveloping her in a hug.  
  
"The hellmouth is closed for good, it is nothing more then a large hole where Sunnydale used to be." Buffy says.  
  
"Did everyone make it out safely?" Angel asks.  
  
"No, we lost some of our group. When the hellmouth began acting up everybody left but us. We lost several slayers, and we lost 2 of our core group." Buffy replies.  
  
"O.K. I'm not understanding all of this, you lost several slayers? You and Faith are the only slayers, is Faith O.K?" Angel asks in a panic.  
  
"Faith is fine, she was wounded a few days ago, but is fine now. You know slayer healing and all. We did a spell to make all the potentials slayers. Every potential in the world now is a slayer. That's part of how we defeated the First. We lost Anya though, she saved Andrew, but was killed by a bringer. And we lost Spike, he wore the amulet and saved us all. He was so brave, he was engulfed in flames, but refused to quit until every last Turok-han was dust and the hellmouth was closed. I tried to get him to stop and leave with me, but he wanted to finish it. You would have been so proud to see his redemption. He really came through for us, he closed the hellmouth for good or we hope. I would hate to think all this loss was for nothing."  
  
"Loss is always hard, that's one thing I have learned in my years and you never get used to it. You know, the Spike I knew wouldn't have sacrificed himself for anything, you changed him. You humanized him" Angel replies.  
  
"I hadn't realized how hollow that phrase is, I told Xander the same thing about Anya. I didn't know how empty that sounded to his ears. I didn't think I would miss him like this. He told me once all Slayer's have a death wish, I didn't realize until now that in a way that's true. I was ready to sacrifice my life for the world, but I just wasn't ready for someone else to. He tried to leave a few weeks ago, because the First had used him and he was trying to keep us safe. I practically begged him to stay, because I wasn't ready to not have him there. Seems pretty self centered now." Buffy sobs.  
  
"Sounds like Spike was crucial to defeating the First, without him the First may not have been stopped. You didn't force him to wear the amulet. I mean what if you had tried to wear the amulet? The world needs you Buffy, and these new slayers need you. Faith may be reformed, but I don't see her as much of a mentor." Angel replies.  
  
"Dawn and the new slayers are about all that has kept me focused, I know they need me. As for Faith, eventually her past is going to catch up with her and she will have to face the consequences. I need to put all this behind me and figure out what we are going to do. We have no money, no place to live, and more slayers that are going to need training. Oh and a hellmouth in Cleveland, I didn't even know there was a hellmouth there. I need to get the slayers trained and someone needs to go to Cleveland." Buffy says.  
  
"O.K. take a breath, one problem at a time, first you can stay here. There's plenty of room for everyone and there are training facilities here. As for Faith, we may be able to keep her from going back to prison. I'll have someone get on that right away, and I think for now, you need some rest. It's been a long hard day for you and whether you want to admit it, you need rest. Did Fred set you up with a room?" Angel asks, taking charge.  
  
"Yeah, Dawn and I are down the hall. Though I think she is probably exploring the hotel with the other girls. Angel, they are so green, and they have so much power. I need to find the rest of them, can you imagine the havoc thousands of Faith's could reach?" Buffy replies, getting worked up again.  
  
"O.K. calm down, you are going to get some rest. I am sure Willow, Fred, and Faith can handle the girls. And if they can't you have me, Gunn, and Lorne to pick up the slack." Angel orders. "Oh and as for the thousands of Faith's? For every one Faith you have 1 like you and Kendra. Don't worry, we'll find them. Now rest." He adds. 


	2. Destined Part 2

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"Hey Xand, how you holding up?" Willow asks.

"I've been better, actually I'm looking for Cordelia, have you seen her?" Xander queries.

"Oh Xand, no one told you. Cordelia is, well she's in a coma. They don't think she is ever going to wake up. Sorry I had to be the one to break it to you." Willow replies sympathetically.

"Not again, I need to see her." Xander answers before taking off for the lobby. "Where is Cordelia?" He demands.

"She's in a private hospital with all the best medical care and round the clock physicians. Why do you ask?" Wesley answers.

"Take me to her, I've lost too many people to this nightly war we wage. I am not going to lose another one. I need to see her, now." Xander says angrily.

"O.K. as soon as Angel comes back I will see if he will take you." Wesley replies.

"I'm here and the answer is no. I won't have her disturbed." Angel answers as he comes down the stairs.

"Angel, Cordy was my first love and yeah we haven't been together for a long time, but I need to see her. You owe me, I had to have done something in the past that entitles me to this favor." Xander answers.

"Angel-cakes I'd take him if I were you. He's radiating a whole other glow, the Powers are screaming that this boy needs to go to Cordy." Lorne says answering the room.

"O.K. green guy, who I have no idea who you are, but thanks." Xander replies.

"Fine, we leave now, Wes can you stick around and keep an eye on our guests? I told Buffy to go to bed and I'd keep everyone in line." Angel asks.

"No problem, good luck." Wesley answers. Xander and Angel leave.

"So, you seemed against me seeing Cordy until the green guy said something, what changed." Xander asks once they are on the way.

"I've learned over the last few years, that Lorne mentions the Powers I listen. We're here." Angel replies curtly.

"Do you mind if I have a few minutes alone with her? I haven't seen her in so long and I regret that." Xander asks.

"No problem." Angel replies.

Xander walks through a set of glass doors and there lying on a bed surrounded by machines is Cordelia. She is in the center of the bed as if asleep, the machines precautionary and not attached to her. "Oh Cordy, what has happened to you? I see you like this and I expect you to sit up and start barking orders at me. Well, what's happened lately, lets see, Sunnydale is a great big hole. What else?" Xander says as he sits in a chair beside the bed. Xander tells her some funny stories of life since she left, like the time they all lost their memories and Buffy named herself Joan, or the time all the girls thought this one guy was hot and started doing all these outrageous things to win his affections. Then he told her about the not so happy times like losing his eye and losing Anya. When he gets up to leave he leans over and kisses her lightly on the lips and time appears to melt away for a moment and a beautiful blue light envelops them. As quickly as it began it was over, leaving Xander slightly dazed and not remembering the light or the emotions from the moment and he leaves. He and Angel leave for the Hyperion.

Hyperion

Everyone is sleeping at the Hyperion except for Angel and Willow. "We should probably setup a meeting tomorrow after everyone is up, just to firm up some details. I know Buffy was concerned about who was going to go to Cleveland to guard that hellmouth and also about where to train the new slayers." Angel begins.

"I've been thinking about that and I was wondering if we could stay and train here? You have plenty of room for everyone and a place to train. Unless you had other plans, Fred mentioned something about you taking over Wolfram and Hart? I mean if you were going to get out of the Hyperion we could find something else." Willow babbles.

"I was thinking the same thing actually, about everyone staying here. Even with us taking over Wolfram and Hart I am still going to keep this place. Listen you don't have to stay up with me, go get some sleep you had as long a day as anyone." Angel replies.

"Maybe I will, I wanted to thank you for letting Xander see Cordy it meant a lot to him. He's lost so much in the last few weeks that it made his day to talk to her, even if she couldn't answer him. Although maybe he liked it better that she couldn't answer. Anyways thanks." Willow responds. She leaves to go to bed and is interrupted by an ear-piercing scream. "That was Buffy." She says as she runs up the stairs only to be met by a panicked Dawn.

Buffy is thrashing on the bed in the midst of a nightmare. "What do we do? Should we wake her up?" Dawn asks.

"No, she has to let her nightmare play itself out, why don't you go sleep in my room. I'll stay here and make sure she doesn't hurt herself." Angel instructs.

Buffy's dream.

She appears to be back in Sunnydale High, but not the new school they destroyed the day before, but the old school. As Buffy realizes where she is a figure comes up behind her, "Hello, luv, remember this night in our past?" The blonde vampire says.

"Spike! You're dead." Buffy replies.

"Well I've always been dead, but yeah I guess I am more dead then usual. You didn't answer my question, do you remember this night?" Spike asks again.

"Parent-Teacher night, the night you almost single handedly ruined my life. How could I forget, why are you here?" Buffy asks.

"I'm here to give you a nudge in the right direction. Peaches I can come see while he's awake and he won't think its anything out of the ordinary. You on the other hand are a little trickier, I came to tell you to move, on your destiny was never with me. I know that now, you are my unfinished business. I can't move on until you do, you need to let go. Life is going to be strange enough without you pining away for me. The new girls need a leader and apparently the fates have chosen you. So let me go and move on, I need to go and so do you. Awaken and gaze upon your love." Spike says before her disappears.

Buffy awakens to find Angel sitting beside her bed watching over her. "What are you doing here?" She asks.

"You were having a nightmare and scared all of us, Dawn wanted to wake you up. I told her sometimes it was better to get it out of your system and sent her to my room. You had us all worried. Want to talk about it?" Angel asks.

"Spike came to me in a dream, he said that I needed to move on. He told me that unless I do, he can't move on. Be warned I think you're next, and I don't think it will be in a dream for you. I think he's a ghost, you know unfinished business and all." Buffy replies.

"I can hear movement, want to get up and start breakfast?" Angel asks, completely avoiding her comments.

The Hyperion Lobby

The Slayers are milling around gossiping about the hotel and its inhabitants. Those who hadn't heard about Buffy's screams heard about it from the others. The other topic of discussion was just who was Angel. Most of them had not met him until breakfast and were surprised at the familiarity he showed to Buffy and her friends. He had even managed to bring back a part of Xander that had been missing since his accident, quelled even more by Anya's death. They had all been assembled for a meeting about their futures now that The First had been stopped. Many who still had homes wondered if they could return to them, also wondering about the wrath of their parents they had left behind. Hopefully their questions would be answered.

"Alright if everyone would gather round we have a few announcements to make." Buffy says with Faith and Angel beside her. "Many of you probably are wondering where we go from here. First off, I know I probably didn't show it enough yesterday, but you did good. We accomplished something yesterday that shouldn't have been possible and for that I say thanks, I couldn't have done it without you. Secondly, we are sending a small contingent to monitor the Hellmouth in Cleveland, I will be heading this group for the time being. Faith will maintain a base here and a training camp out of the hotel, anyone who wishes to may also stay. Many of you are probably wondering about your families and homes, if you wish to return to them you may, as the danger of The First is past. Let me tell you though, everything is different now. You are Slayer's, there is a whole new world out there that is going to be coming at you and your lives will never be the same."


	3. Destined Part 3

Buffy's pep talk is interrupted by Xander clutching his head in pain.

"What do you see?" Lorne asks suddenly all business. Angel taking his cue from Lorne immediately rushes to Xander's side.

"I see a playground, its dark, a young woman with a 2 maybe 3 year old daughter being attacked by vamps. The woman is wearing some kind of uniform and a nametag. That's all I see, what was that? And why does my head feel like someone has a sledgehammer inside it?" Xander asks.

Angel looks at Lorne and says, "How did this happen?"

"When he went to see Cordy he somehow got her visions. I don't know how, I just know that I got a big-flashing-neon-sign from the Powers the minute I laid eyes on him. I'd say he's your new Seer." Lorne replies.

"WHAT, when did Cordelia inherit visions? And why would some 'Power' decide that me of all people should be a Seer? I mean it's kinda mean making the ½ blind guy a Seer." Xander says.

"Guys, I think we'd better concentrate on the vision and figure out how this happened later. Do you remember anything about the woman? Or the little girl? Anything that would give us an edge on finding them? Hair color, color of the uniform? Name of the park they were in, or some distinction of the park?" Gunn asks, attempting to get information from Xander before landmarks can influence him.

"I think it was a red uniform, the kind they have for grocery stores or department stores, and I think she was Hispanic maybe. I don't know. I just found out about this, how am I supposed to remember anything." Xander replies. "Jo, the name on the nametag said Jo."

TBC, sorry it is so short. I am currently working on a Veronica Mars fic and the biggest reason this got even a short update is I found this section on my laptop.

More soon I PROMISE!


End file.
